


Where Your Heart Is

by EmpressTod, jennserr



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age - Various Authors, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: AU, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Modern Character in Thedas, Modern Girl in Thedas, OC, Original Character(s), Pining, im waist deep in emotions, so much pining, this ship got way out of hand
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:26:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22084105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmpressTod/pseuds/EmpressTod, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennserr/pseuds/jennserr
Summary: Elaine was originally drawn to Solas for an unexplainable reason, but the further she continues in this Thedas the more a certain other elf draws her attentions.It's kind of a love story.(rating will change for later chapters)
Relationships: Female Lavellan/Original Female Character(s), Fen'Harel | Solas/Original Female Character(s), background Female Hawke/Female Inquisitor
Kudos: 19





	1. Campfire

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so, this jumps in after they get to Skyhold cause that's when all the fun stuff happens. It was kind of born out of me and jennserr wondering what would happen if Elaine had fallen into her (jennserr's) Inquisition Canon at the same time. Like what would change? Would all the shit go down with Solas? From there we came up with a ship that just... fit. We both love it so much, I thought I'd write some of it. Let us know what you think! 
> 
> tl;dr: all original characters belong to user jennserr except Elaine, who belongs to me :D

She liked to be warm.

There were so many things that Ashawyn Lavellan had learned, without even meaning to, about the elven dancer. She knew Elaine liked it when the sun was on her skin and there was warmth in the air. She knew she liked to be as close to the fire as she could get, and didn’t care about the smoke. There weren’t many people that she had been so transfixed by, not in her journeys across Thedas, and there wasn’t much she could do about it. Not really. Because for all of the ways the two had grown close…

Elaine had no idea.

Ash breathed out through her nose, the campfire in front of her the only crackling sound, the smoke and sparks spiralling through the frigid air. She didn’t usually let herself think about these things, there were so many matters that needed her attention, not just within the Inquisition, but outside of it. Her clan had come so close to complete annihilation, and here she was pining for someone that she was only half sure would ever like her back.

Across the fire, Ashawyn caught Elaine shivering. Trying to move closer to the fire. It wasn’t often they doubled up on watch rotations, but Elaine volunteered. So close to a Fade Rift, and Elaine had said she’d have trouble sleeping.

And Ashawyn, whipped as she was, hadn’t wanted Elaine to be alone.

“You’re cold?” Ashawyn offered the other elf a smile, the kind she wouldn’t offer anyone else. It didn’t matter how many times she did it, whenever Elaine caught and met her eyes Ashawyn felt something in her chest tighten. It was never painful, it just made her feel… full, almost. It was an odd feeling.

It had taken a while for her to realise, and by then it’d been too late. She’d had to watch her fall for someone else. Not just anyone either, that son of a bitch egg motherfucker who _always_ spoke down to Ash, who never listened to what she said about Dalish culture or language or _anything_. Deep in the bitter pits of her heart that she tried to keep back, she hated herself for the thought that Elaine belonged with her.

Val always said that if you wanted Elaine to know something, you had to come right out and tell her. Persistently clueless were the words the Inquisitor had used. And there had been so many times where they were alone, before she’d even paired with Solas, that Ashawyn could have said something. But she didn’t, and half the time she was sure that she’d scared the other woman off for good. Terse words and half-assed sentences, things that she constantly kicked herself for.

And across the fire still, Elaine glanced her way. Hands running over her shoulders under that coat she always wore. When she was around, Ash didn’t miss the sun at all. Not when she was granted a look, a smile, exactly like that one.

“Little bit cold, yeah.” Something about the way she spoke (like there was always humour to be found) and the cadence of her voice (soft and lilted sometimes; an accent she’d never heard before), often she would replay even the simplest of words over and over just to hear it.

Ashawyn swallowed a little, taking a deep breath and trying to get up the courage. Maybe today would be the day she finally said something. It was certainly a nice night, the stars and the moons overhead giving a beautiful light over the scene. If it wasn’t for the nearby Rift, it would almost be picturesque.

So Ash stood up, bringing her blanket over and situating herself on the ground next to Elaine. For a moment she wondered over the distance, was she too far away? Would Elaine think she hated her? Was she too close? Would she shy away? Then she mentally kicked herself for panicking; she wasn’t a kid with her first crush. She could handle this.

“Sharing a blanket? Aren’t we supposed to be on watch?” Elaine shot her a look, a grin playing on her lips as she accepted half of the blanket. Scooting a little bit closer so it fell over both of them evenly.

Ash shook her head, she couldn’t look at the red-headed elf, she’d loose her nerve. So she steadfastly kept her eyes on the fire in front of them both. She couldn’t help but smile anyway. It was the voice. It did things.

“I won’t tell if you won’t.” Now Ash was trying not to smile. She had a hard exterior to maintain.

“Oh I swear. I get to be warm, and I get to sit next to you.” Elaine bumped the other elf softly with her shoulder, drawing the blanket up to her neck as she did, “It’s a win-win really.”

Ash had to tell her now, before they said anything else.

But when she finally glanced towards Elaine, the words caught in her throat. The red-headed elf had her head canted towards the sky, orange light from the fire flickering on her skin and bouncing off freckles and she was almost _glowing_. Her eyes were closed, and her hair, _by the Creators_ , her hair. There was no one else she’d ever met with the kind of hair like Elaine’s. It perfectly matched the colours of the fire in front of them, Ash had even sworn she’d found strands of blue in there. She was completely frozen, watching Elaine breathe in and tilt her head even further back and the line of her neck stretched longer by the second-

Ashawyn jerked her eyes away. For a moment, she’d forgotten all about Solas. For a moment, she’d imagined that the gorgeous elf next to her was with her and no one else. It had been a beautiful moment, but it was gone. Reality set in once again and Ashawyn knew that she would have to be silent for that little bit longer. It wouldn’t do to push Elaine into something she wasn’t ready for, not when their circumstances were as complicated as they come.

She would be with her if she was ready. Nothing more. 


	2. Music Box

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dalish courting rituals are a thing and elaine is an absolute oblivious dumbass enjoy

There weren’t many outsiders that cared to know this, but there were certain rituals that Dalish partners went through to declare their love for each other. Most would look and call it marriage, but there were some who knew it to be something more.

Initially, an exchange of gifts. Or leaving tokens for your lover to find. Different items had different meanings, Crystal Grace to express your intentions, Andraste’s Grace to express your feelings, ensuring there was no miscommunication. Or sometimes any gift would do, it just meant that you loved them. That you wanted to be with them. That was the end of it.

And well… Elaine had never been good at communication, or understanding _anything_. But never so much as during those early days at Skyhold. 

The market was relatively new, the stalls still full of all kinds of goods. And the first few things she looked for after furnishing her room, with Vivienne’s help of course, were those touches that would make it hers. She’d know them when she saw them, she told herself, frowning at the stall of sweet-smelling soaps and perfumes in front of her. That wouldn’t do, however nice they smelled.

Moving along, at last she found the stall that jumped out to her. Small, barely a table with a cover over the top, not an abundance of items. But two rows of small, hand crafted, intricate boxes with tiny cranks on the side. She felt a smile dawn on her face as she looked at one closely, noting the dials and papers, the detailed carvings on the side, before she reached out and turned the crank, letting it go and laughing at the delicate notes as they met her ears.

She’d been so used to music at home, she hadn’t known she missed it so much. 

The shop keeper didn’t haggle that much; he was very set on the prices but she knew they were worth every gold piece she could scrounge together. It was also a plus that he didn’t take one look at her pointed ears and wave her off, so a win in her book.

Carefully, she stacked three of them to take up to her rooms, when she noticed a another on the lowest display shelf. Much smaller than the others, would probably fit in just her palm. Carved on the side of it were little flowers, plants, tiny little things that showed a level of craftsmanship and love put into the item.

Immediately she knew there was someone who’d appreciate it, at least for it’s look more than the music, and paid for it as well.

Carrying the four music boxes up to her room, she lined three up on the shelf next to her bed. They would be lovely things to wake up to in the morning, music to listen to when she could, when she missed home the most.

The fourth she held with a soft reverence, she didn’t want to drop or break it before she could give it to Ash. That simply wouldn’t do.

Making her way back down to the library, she spied Ash sitting at one of the tables, a few books sprawled out in front of her. She knew that’s where she’d be this time of day.

“Hey Asha-” Elaine stepped up to her with a smile, holding the music box behind her back, “Guess what.” 

Ash jumped a little, looking up from her book with irritation that quickly turned into a small smile as she saw who it was, “What is it El?”

“Hold out your hands.” Almost bouncing with excitement, she brought out the music box, gently depositing it into Ash’s palms without another word. 

“I saw it and I thought of you. It’s so pretty isn't it?” Elaine leaned back, grinning from ear to ear as she tried to gauge Ash’s response. 

Ash wasn’t sure she’d ever seen something so precious in her life. The box fit squarely in her palm, intricate and detailed with carvings of flowers, plants so familiar to her she knew them on sight. She couldn’t stop looking at it, turning the music box over as if wanting to memorise every angle, every detail. 

Elaine felt her smile fall slightly, not the happy reaction she’d expected but, maybe she didn’t know what it was? “It’s a music box, you just turn the handle and it plays a song. It’s-”

“Serrah Elaine- Sister Nightingale wished to speak with you.” 

Elaine’s ears twitched at the interruption, glancing down at Ash, hesitating for a moment before nodding, “Alright I’m coming.” Frowning again, she followed the messenger back towards the doors. 

And Ash finally looked up, cradling this gift in her arms, and watched Elaine walk away with the certainty that she was dreaming.

Could Elaine… know about her feelings? Was this her way of showing that she _returned_ them? How? _When?_ What had changed? She was still with Solas wasn’t she? Ash felt her heart beat a mile a minute the longer she thought about it, still blinking at the door Elaine had long since closed behind her.

“Did I… read that correctly?" Valentina said, appearing quite suddenly near the top of the stairs up to the library, her hand still on the railing as she hesitated.

“I’m-” Ash couldn’t speak, couldn’t think fast enough to form a sentence. Elaine… wanted to court her. This was what it meant. She had to know- had to realise.

Val slowly wandered closer, her hands behind her back as she surveyed the music box still clutched in Ash’s tight grip. She wouldn’t ever let it go she thought. 

“Does she not know?” Val winced, now glancing at the door where Elaine disappeared.

Ash felt her heart pound a little, struggling to breathe.

“Holy shit she doesn’t know.”

* * *

Elaine hadn’t had the chance to catch up with Ash all day afterwards, and hadn’t spotted her at dinner at all that night. It wasn’t for lack of looking or anything, it was just how things happened. So she’d been excited to find her, talk to her and get her reaction to the music box now that the night had passed. 

That morning she’d woken up and collected breakfast for herself and Solas as she usually would, he would get so busy with his work he would forget to eat sometimes so she made sure he did. So she was casually sitting on his desk, bowl of porridge in hand as she swung her legs. 

Solas stood next to her, empty bowl in hand as he discussed his findings from the research at the Graves, which even he sounded bored by. 

Grinning, Elaine placed her bowl aside on the desk, “You know there’s gotta be something more interesting for you to be doing.”

“It cannot all be dragons and tombs, _ma’lin_. Often the busy-work is where the-”

“Yeah yeah, I know all that.” Taking his bowl off him too, she reached for his hand, tugging it into her lap as she twined their fingers together, “But you haven’t even said how you slept- you said you’ve been having trouble-”

“It is nothing-”

Suddenly an odd, almost choking noise interrupted the discussion, and they both turned to the sound to find Ash frozen at the bottom of the staircase. Her red eyes trained on their joined hands as she quickly straightened up. 

“Ash-” Elaine grinned, pushing herself off the table, “There you are. I wanted to-”

“Can’t talk.” Ash grunted, turning and slipping through the door towards the main hall without another word. 

Solas’s eyebrows creased in annoyance. “I wonder what her problem is.”

“I have no idea.” Elaine swallowed, feeling her heart clench again as the door to the rotunda slammed shut behind Ash, causing both of them to jump at the sound.

No denying it now, she must not have liked the music box. What other reason could there be for her to be avoiding her? And it was obvious now, Ash was definitely avoiding her. 

She had to find out why. 

* * *

Her first stop was the most obvious, Ash’s younger cousin had to know why there was such a problem with the music box.

It took her awhile to track her down, finding her with her nose buried in a book, walking towards the gardens. “Hey Naya, so I uhh gave your cousin a thing yesterday but she’s been acting really weird around me since then so I was wondering-”

Naya didn’t even look up from her book or stop walking as she said, “You’re a _fucking_ moron.” 

It took Elaine a moment to recover and by that point Naya had already rounded the corner and disappeared. “Alright, little bit uncalled for…” she muttered, scratching her head and turning towards the tavern. Maybe their companions would have better insight? They knew her best didn’t they?

Her head was in the clouds as she made her way down to the tavern, sure that’s where she could find their companions this time of the afternoon. 

As she got closer to the doors she spied two sets of feet very close together around the corner. Peeking around, she spied Yasena Adaar and Cassandra sitting on the bench across from the training area, speaking in hushed tones.

Without hesitation she switched directions, walking around the corner as she spoke, “Hey Yasena can I ask you something real quick? Oh hello Cass, fancy seeing you here.”

“Don’t call me that.” Jumping away from Yasena, Cassandra grumbled to herself as she got up off the bench and stalked past Elaine to return to the training area. 

Yasena looked irritated for a moment before standing up, shaking her head as if to clear it, “What did you want, Elaine?” 

“Well, you guys know Ash right?”

“We know of her.” Yasena opened the door back into the tavern, holding it for a moment for Elaine to slip through before closing it behind them both. “Why?”

Letting out a huge sigh, Elaine shrugged, “She’s been really distant and cold since yesterday and I’m trying to get to the bottom of it.” 

Yasena frowned, leading the way towards their friends in the corner. Lucas and Kirsa had already ordered a round, waiting on the others as they drank. 

“Hey guys.” Elaine didn’t sit down, she wasn’t in the socialising mood. 

“Elaine’s got a problem she needs help with,” Yasena gratefully accepted the tankard from Kirsa, “It’s our dear Ashawyn, seems she’s being a little cold.”

Kirsa’s eyebrows shot up, but she did her best to hide her scoff with a sip of her drink as Lucas rolled his eyes. “When is she not cold?”

“ _Lucas_.” 

“No really–she went off at me for chewing loudly yesterday how is what she’s doing now any different than- _ow!_ ” Glaring across the table at Kirsa for the kick he’d received, he shut his mouth. 

Elaine shrugged, seemingly not noticing the glaring match going on at the table. “To be fair you do chew really fuckin’ loud-”

“So!” Yasena cleared her throat, “What happened to make her act this way so suddenly?”

“I gave her this music box and I didn’t think it was going to be a big thing but apparently it is and nobody will tell me why.” 

Elaine’s shoulders fell at the total confused silence she received from the others seated at the table.

“So you guys don’t know either.”

Yasena offered her an apologetic smile while the other two continued to glare at each other, “Sorry, Elaine.”

“Nah it’s fine…” Pinching the bridge of her nose, she turned away from the table with a wave, “Guess I gotta ask other people.” And left the tavern with the next person in mind. 

Blackwall was next on her list, he and Ash were as close to friends as far as Elaine could gather. They had a weird often non-verbal friendship, and they seemed to respect each other, so perhaps he’d know something Elaine didn’t? Quite honestly she was grasping at straws. 

She didn’t even hesitate when she got to the stables, simply walked up to him at his work bench, waited for him to turn and see her, and then launched into the tale. 

“I gave Ash a gift I just thought it was nice but now she won’t speak to me and Naya called me a moron and I’m so _confused_.” Taking a deep breath at the end, she watched the older mans face for a sign he knew what she meant, and her heart fell when she saw the knowing kind of sympathy in his eyes.

“Oh Maker,” he sighed, putting down the tool he’d been using. 

“What’s wrong with a _gift?_ People give gifts all the time!” Okay now she was getting annoyed, people who didn’t know couldn’t say, and people who _did_ know _wouldn’t_ say. By that point, she would’ve been sure this was all just a giant prank, except she’d spotted Ash a few times today and the Dalish elf hadn’t even said hello. 

Blackwall shook his head, “ _Everything_. It’s not just a gift…” At Elaine’s hopeful expression he shook his head sheepishly, “I’m sorry. I don’t think it’s my place. Best to ask her.”

“GOD is no one going to be helpful today?!” Wheeling around, she threw her hands up in the air as she stalked away, nearly at her wits end as she marched towards one last person who’d be able to give her advice. 

Vivienne was standing out on her balcony when Elaine reached her, and it took her a long time to explain how and why she’d come up there that evening. 

“My dear I would have no more insight into her state of mind than you.” Vivienne tilted her head to the side. “In fact, I believe I have less. Lady Lavellan and myself are not exactly acquainted”

Elaine was almost ready to give up at this point. “God it’s like everyone knows _something_ but it’s gone right over my head. Was it the music box? Was it me? I hate having to figure this out.”

“Why do you not simply ask her?”

“She won’t talk to me. I said hello to her this morning and she practically bolted out of the room.” Sighing angrily, Elaine turned her back to the view of Skyhold and leant against the barrier with her arms crossed. 

“May I ask … why you care so much about this? You gave her the wrong gift, my dear, be realistic. It is not life or death.” 

Elaine couldn’t explain it, something irked at her when Ash was upset with her. It was like she knew there was something broken, but not what she had to do to fix it. It didn’t sit too well with her, her friend being angry like this. 

And if there were any sort of voice inside that told her Ash was special, that she wouldn’t do this for any other friend, she either didn’t hear or was too stubborn to listen. 

“I know it’s not life or death.”

Vivienne paused, her eyes peeled from the mountains down to Elaine, who was glaring off into the main hall. “Honestly Elaine, if you’re so worried you should ask Valentina or Adrianna, they travelled together with her.” 

“I can’t bother the Inquisitor or the Champion with-”

“And yet you bothered all of our friends?” Vivienne softened the words with a smile, “Just go, ask, give yourself some peace of mind.” 

Elaine, knowing she was right as usual, frowned again before straightening up. She took a deep breath, as if steeling herself, before bidding goodbye to Vivienne and venturing back into the main hall, down the stairs and across to the Inquisitor’s chambers. 

This time of the evening she knew either Val or Anna would be there, and either of them would do. They both travelled with Ash, they both knew her as well, if not better, than Elaine herself did. If anyone was able to answer her questions it would be one of them. And if they couldn’t… she wasn’t sure what she’d do. 

“Hey uh… Anna? Val?” Neither of them had seen Elaine so hesitant before, standing at the top of the stairs to the Inquisitor’s quarters, fiddling with her fingers, “You guys both know Merrill and Naya and Ash-”

“We know of them, yes,” Hawke replied with an easy grin, waving her to come further into the room. Which she did, moving in to lean on the arm of the couch they were sitting on.

“Well, she–Ash–she’s been really distant lately, I just. I wanna know what I did wrong?” Elaine shook her head, obviously confused.

Val grimaced, but before she could respond Hawke leant forward, “Well, what did you do?”

“I just gave her a music box and-” Before she could finish the sound of Val’s palm hitting her forehead interrupted her mid-sentence. Hawke leaned forward too, inhaling deeply with her hands pressing together in front of her mouth.

Elaine _knew_ without them saying anything, they knew why she’d fucked up. Nobody could explain it to her though! What was the problem with giving her friend a gift, something she knew she’d like? Completely innocent!

Confusion bridged finally to frustration as she jumped off the chair, startling the Inquisitor and the Champion in the room as she shouted, “FINE! If she doesn’t like it, I’ll take it back and find something else!” And stormed down the stairs and out of the room before they could stop her.

“Oh no-”

“I’ll go after her,” Anna put a hand on Val’s knee to stop her from getting up, and darted down the stairs after Elaine, who’d by now already reached the main hall. Hawke caught sight of her marching towards the door behind Varric, an elf on a mission, wrenching the door open without hesitation.

“Shit.” Anna shook her head, jogging across the hall to catch up.

* * *

Elaine could find Ash’s rooms in her sleep she’d been there so often, and she was on a very specific mission when she rounded the corridor towards them now. If she didn’t like the music box, if it had offended her somehow, she’d take it back and find something else to give to her. Simple. Nothing to it really. 

The sun was setting outside so it was quite dark in the hallway, the door to Ash’s rooms slightly ajar and letting the light spill out into the hallway. Elaine couldn’t explain why, but something made her hesitate half way down the corridor, until she saw the shadow moving around in Ash’s room, and she paused.

Feeling something in her chest tighten at what she was seeing, Ash sitting on the edge of her bed, looking down at something placed carefully on her lap. The expression on her face as she reached for the little handle, turning it over and over as she seemed to hold her breath.

Elaine couldn’t move, it felt like she was witnessing a moment so absolutely private, if Ash turned and saw her there she’d never speak to her again. Then the soft, delicate chiming of the music box drifted out of Ash’s room, meeting her in the hallway like a beautiful accusation.

_I shouldn’t be here_ , something in her knew, but she couldn’t look away from Ash’s expression. She was _beaming_ , her gaze entranced on the music box in front of her, listening to the music with an enchanted, unguarded smile.

She jumped as a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder, and she glanced back, ashamed to find Anna standing behind her with a sombre expression. 

“Come on,” Anna said in a low voice. Her eyes darted into Ash’s room and back to Elaine. “We gotta talk.”

Elaine nodded, casting one last glance back into Ash’s room before turning and quietly following Anna out of the corridor, the door shutting behind them as soon as they were out. An overwhelming wave of guilt washed over her, and she half wished she hadn’t seen Ash like that. And she _still_ didn’t even know why. 

Anna leant against the wall, crossed her arms and looked up at her without saying anything.

“I just wanted to… urgh. It doesn’t matter now does it. I fucked _something_ up.” And by the creators she felt like utter shit for it. 

Anna at least looked sympathetic when she asked, “What do you know about Dalish culture? Specifically… courting rituals?” 

That came completely out of left field. “Huh? What do you mean? I…” Elaine frowned, searching the other woman's expression for a clue. Anna only raised her eyebrows, waiting for her to finally realise. 

There was a beat of silence before Elaine stiffened. “Oh fuck.” 


	3. Elaine's Voice

Things wouldn’t go back to normal for a while. But some time passed, and the music box treasured and placed on Ash’s desk. A reminder of something… she wasn’t sure she could let herself have. Not with Elaine at least, however much she wished it could be so.

She fell further and further for her every day. For parts of her she hadn’t noticed the day before, but wouldn’t stop noticing once she did. Ash couldn’t help it, a part of her was _drawn_ to the elven dancer. Like some sort of pull, everything about her seemed to draw her in. The way her hair caught the sunlight on a warm day, the way she smiled sometimes as if she knew a secret nobody else did, even her _voice_.

She loved listening to Elaine’s voice. The way she would tell stories, enthusiastic and animated. Lilted, smooth words pouring out as if she struggled to contain them. A tone like honey, a laugh or a smile ever present in a word.

And despite hating herself for it, she still caught herself straining to hear the whispered, flirtatious conversations between Elaine and Solas. Deep down she knew this was some fantasy, she was better than pining for someone who was… almost too clueless to look at Ash in the way she wanted her to.

Time did pass, and she’d stopped avoiding Elaine. A delicate part of her still hurt over the music box, but a bigger part of her treasured the gift for what it was: a well-meaning token. _I saw this and thought of you_. No one had ever given her something so nice. So they slowly became friends again, Elaine hesitant, apologetic, at first thinking that she might say or do the wrong thing and chase her away again.

Elaine had, for a reason she couldn’t pin-point, missed Ash while they weren’t speaking. It’d been messed up; she hadn’t meant to give Ash the wrong impression at all. She wasn’t used to … thinking things through so much, but now she had to. So she wouldn’t lose her friend again.

The party started off small; Varric, Yasena, Elaine, and Anna playing Wicked Grace in the Herald’s Rest. But these things had a way of getting out of hand, and attracting many others in the Inner Circle somehow without anyone even leaving the table. Soon the party of four grew larger by five as Val, Kirsa, Lucas, Cassandra, and Blackwall joined in. Each swearing that this round of cards would end differently, as if Varric wouldn’t simply clean house with each of them in turn.

Which was why Elaine was about to go all in and give up on the entire enterprise when Ash wandered into the tavern with her cousin Naya.

As the rowdy group at the table yelled their greetings to the two new-comers, Elaine offered Ash a small, hesitant grin and scooted over on her chair. Letting the smaller elf slide in next to her, she mistook the little skip in her heartbeat when Ash’s leg aligned with her own for her nerves at the surprisingly good hand of cards she’d been dealt. 

“I think it’s your turn, Spitfire.” Varric called across the table, discarding a card.

“I think you’re just trying to distract me Varric.” Elaine narrowed her eyes at him, clutching her cards a little bit harder.

“C’mon Elaine,” Anna grinned over her drink, “Copper for a story?”

Elaine sighed, wracking her brain for anything as she worried at her cards. Ash watched out of the corner of her eye, thinking hard chewing on her bottom lip. Saw her left hand settle and idle on the table invitingly, and tried to swallow down the urge she felt to reach across the small amount of space between them and take it. So easy - the mere idea jumped her heart to a higher pace, hoped no one noticed her breathing hitch a little as she looked up and away from Elaine’s hand.

“Okay okay-” Elaine cleared her throat, discarding a card as she launched into her story, “I’ve got one.”

“Ah, here we are.” Varric smirked over his cards. The table seemed to hold its breath, Cassandra leaned forward in her seat a little, and some of the conversation died down as they all waited for the story.

“So… it begins on the ocean,” Elaine felt a little shaky, it’d been a while since she saw the movie, maybe she would get the order of things wrong, “Fog, as Varric would say, blankets the smooth water surrounding a huge royal ship. A young girl in a fancy dress stands alone and looks into the fog, singing low to herself ‘yo ho yo ho a pirates’ life for me.” She grinned a little, placing her next bet as she sung the short song to the group.

“As she continues her song, suddenly a hand lands on her shoulder making her jump.” Leaning over, leaning her voice into her accent, she looked around the table, “‘Careful missy,’ the sailor tells her,” She pauses, “‘Cursed pirates roam these waters, don’t wanna bring em down on us now do ya?’” Continuing through the story as she remembered it, it seemed she even succeeded in distracting even Varric, who possibly hadn’t expected such a fantastic tale from someone who couldn’t sit and read a book for longer than 30 minutes at a time.

Ash had frozen in place, despite herself and her careful boundaries she was falling ever further the longer she listened. It wasn’t the story, it was Elaine’s _voice_. 

“Years later,” Elaine continued, carefully watching Varric’s next bet, “Elizabeth Swann has grown up. A Lady now, she’s dressed and ready for an event in the town square. As she descends the stairs of her manor home, a much older Will Turner waits.

“‘How many more times must I ask you to call me Elizabeth?’ She asks with a light smile.” Surely Ash didn’t imagine the way Elaine’s free hand brushed over her knee under the table, but as she started and glanced down she couldn’t see her hand. Creators she was going insane, the story and Elaine’s voice in her head, the awareness Ash had of her presence and warmth next to her, it wasn’t _helping_.

“‘Once more Miss Swann, as always.’” Continuing the story, Elaine waited for the exact right moment before carefully placing another bet. Varric eyed her suspiciously across the table, his own cards clutched tightly to his chest.

Val and Anna, from their position down the table, listened to Elaine tell her story with a kind of amused disbelief. It was all Val could do to stop from laughing, not just from watching the glaring match going between the dwarf and the elf over the current round of cards. It was also the sheer absurdity of hearing _this_ story, _here_ of all places, told by someone with the only motive of distracting her competition at a card game.

Through her soft laughter, she felt Anna squeeze her knee, “Look.” 

Val followed her line of sight down the table, not at Elaine, but to where Ashawhyn sat next to her. Of course she knew of her feelings for Elaine, had warned her when they’d first met of how clueless Elaine could be. But… looking at the soft expression on her usually tensed, stoic face? Maybe she hadn’t warned her off Elaine hard enough. It was obvious, to anyone who looked, that Ash was madly in love with the woman spinning her fantastic story.

Val reached for Anna, leaning closer into her wife as she watched the pair of them together. Ash was hanging onto Elaine’s every word, a darker tinge to her brown cheeks that she hid by burying her face in her giant mug of ale. Occasionally Elaine would have to stop and evaluate her cards, and she would shoot a carefree smile to Ash next to her. There would be a small softening around her eyes when she did, her smile a little less wild.

If Elaine were a little less… Elaine, Val thought, she would’ve realised her own feelings by now.

“Varric,” Yasena, who was acting as the dealer, called once the hand was over, Varric and Elaine being the only two left in, “You reveal your cards first.”

“You got it.” Triumphantly, he threw his cards down with a flourish, a sympathetic smile aimed at Elaine, “Sorry Spitfire, cups have it.”

Ash, sitting next to Elaine, swore she could feel the excitement running off her like waves. And tried to ignore how her heart leaped as Elaine put her hand on her knee below the table, the electricity that ran through every vein in her body when she _squeezed_.

“Well…” Elaine could barely withhold her grin, “I don’t suppose… kings could beat you then?”

“… No.”

“Oh _yes-_ ” Throwing her cards on top of Varrics, Elaine jumped up to stand, “Aha! I finally beat you Varric!” All around the table laughter, applause and jeers sounded around as Varric did his best to look humble. He truly hated losing at cards though.

As the excitement of the game settled down, Val looked around and realized the tavern was nearly empty. "I think that's our cue, everyone." The disappointed grumbles she received echoed her own sentiment. "I know, I know, but big day tomorrow. Oh and Elaine? I expect to hear more of that story next time.”

Elaine threw her a wink, “Of course!”

It took a while for them all to pack up and clear out of the tavern there, a big night usually meant a big mess. But eventually Elaine found herself outside, an elfroot smoke lit up as she stared at the sky overhead.

The stars were bright, glittering knowingly down it seemed, as if they knew something she didn’t.

As she lifted and breathed in some smoke, she felt someone move closer to her side, also with their eyes on the sky above. Glancing out the corner of her eye, she immediately relaxed to see Ash standing close. 

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Ash offered, her red eyes glowing softly in the shadows as they darted between stars. 

Elaine wasn’t looking at the sky anymore. Her gaze fell on the woman next to her, on the reflection of a starry night in her eyes. 

Then the feeling abated, and she breathed out, looking away from her. “Yes they are.” 

A moment passed, long enough for Elaine to finish her smoke. 

“Listen…” Ash seemed to hesitate, fiddling with the sleeve of her robes, “I was wondering if … well that story was great.”

Elaine smiled a little, “I didn’t make it up- I only know it.”

“Even so-” Ash breathed out, “Do you think you could… tell more?”

Laughing a little, Elaine bounced on the edges of her feet as she faced Ash, “‘Course I can! Let’s get out of the cold, yeah? Stories are best told with hot chocolate. We’ll go to my rooms.” And before Ash even had time to think, Elaine was reaching for her hand, their fingers twining together like missing pieces of a puzzle, and led her away towards the main keep.

Ash had to concentrate on breathing, usually she was fine spending time with her. They _were_ friends, had been for some time before Ash had feelings for her. But that distance they’d had recently only made being close to her that little bit more rewarding. And now, with her hand in Elaine’s, she at last felt that things had righted themselves.

They walked back towards the keep chatting a little, falling back into old patterns like no time had passed and no offenses had been made.

As they reached the door back into the main keep, Elaine hesitated, unfortunately withdrawing her hand to face Ash again, “Again I’m… sorry for-”

“You don’t have to say you’re sorry.” Ash shook her head, squaring her shoulders and burying her tingling hand in her robes.

Shrugging, Elaine offered her a bashful smile, “I’m just glad we’re friends again.”

How could her heart feel a stinging pain at the word friends, but still leap at the way she said it? Her body’s reactions made no sense, “Me as well.” Ash only said, “I… missed your voice.” 

“Then let’s go get that hot chocolate. I’ll regale you with tales of Captain Jack Sparrow.”


End file.
